Portugal pushes €2.3 bn TERRA+ waste strategy forward

The Portuguese government’s new TERRA+ waste strategy, covering 2026‑2030, targets a €2.3 billion investment to cut landfill use, boost recycling, and expand organic waste valorisation. Secretary of State for the Environment João Manuel Esteves presented the plan to regional bodies, including the Association of Municipalities of Central Alentejo (AMCAL) and the Inter‑Regional Coordination Commission for Lisbon and Tagus Valley (CCDR LVT). AMCAL highlighted how the programme will finance a 1.1 billion‑euro tranche for organic waste processing and a 1.2 billion‑euro tranche for selective collection projects, aiming to reduce indiscriminate dumping at local landfills such as Vila Ruiva.

CCDR LVT’s final meeting on the strategy outlined regional priorities, emphasizing the need for updated licensing, stronger legal frameworks, and tighter coordination among the Portuguese Environment Agency, municipalities and waste operators. Both gatherings underscored the ambition to modernise infrastructure, improve selective collection rates, and advance a circular economy before 2030.